Chapter 108, Part 1: A Perilous Situation
"Report! Governor Zhang Jun of Liangzhou has presented over two hundred kinds of cattle, peacocks, and elephants as tribute! He has also presented the lord with a Ferghana horse, over ten bolts of fire-resistant cloth, and a fine steel sword from the Western Regions!"
"Report! Zhuge Yong, the governor of Liangzhou, has presented us with countless Shu brocades, mountain delicacies, and wild vegetables, as well as salt from our wells, rice from our flower fields, and medicinal herbs."
"Report! Sima Yan, the Prince of Langya, has presented us with silk brocade, cotton gauze, Wu silk, tea, lotus seeds, and countless celadon and jade artifacts. He has also presented twenty Longquan swords to our lord."
...
"Alright," Liu Jun said, sitting upright and intently reading the official gazette. "The memorials are all there; there's no need to read them all aloud. How's the situation in Liangzhou?"
It is now the nineteenth year of Jianxing. Several years ago, Liu Jun's father-in-law, Zhang Mao, passed away, and his nephew, Zhang Jun, succeeded him. Later, he joined forces with the court to reclaim the Henan region from Shi Le, and also sent troops to help the court pacify the Longxi region. He was exceptionally granted the title of Duke of Liang by the court, a title even higher than Liu Jun's. Zhang Jun firmly declined the title and remained as General Who Pacifies the West, Governor of Liang Province, and Duke of Xiping County.
In September, the King of Xiutu Qiang rebelled against Shi Le, but was defeated by Shi Sheng and fled to Liangzhou. Zhang Jun, fearing Shi Le's power, specially requested help from Liu Jun.
"The reinforcements sent by the imperial court have arrived in Guzang, but Shi Le has not made any further moves. So he helped the governor of Liangzhou to settle the Xiutu Qiang people and cultivate the land to make the people live in peace."
Liu Jun nodded. "Keep a close eye on it. What about the Southeast?"
It is unknown who advised Shi Le after Zhang Bin's death, but they came up with the idea of raiding the southeast from the sea. Liu Wei led several thousand men to attack by sea and killed the Nansha Commandant (in the Changshu and Taicang area).
"There is no news, but it seems that there is some unusual activity in Guo Jing's troops."
Liu Jun stood up, walked to the map, and quickly located the position of the supervising officer Guo Jing. "Immediately order the governors of Jingzhou and Jiangzhou to strengthen defenses. In addition, issue an edict to Wang Dao, instructing that the defenses of Jiangdong must not be relaxed."
"Won't it be sent to the Prince of Langya?" Lu Jing asked, puzzled.
Liu Jun smiled and said, "If the Prince of Langya were Sima Shao, this edict could certainly be issued to him. But what decision can Sima Yan make? Why bother with this unnecessary step?"
Seeing that no one was around, Lu Jing reported in a low voice, "By the way, General Yin intercepted a secret letter. It seems that His Majesty sent people to secretly investigate the matter of the sudden death of the Prince of Langya, but they found nothing."
Liu Jun frowned. "Your Majesty did well. The cause of death is indeed suspicious. However, we cannot intervene in Jiangdong for the time being. How easy is it to find out the truth?"
"That blond-haired fellow was quite a character, it's a real pity he didn't live long," he sighed. "If he really was murdered, those people who crossed the river to the south were far too arrogant..."
Lu Jing was horrified, "Why does my lord think it is..."
“I once heard that Sima Shao and Wang Dao were talking, and Wang Dao asked about the Duke of Gaogui. Wang Dao answered truthfully, and Sima Shao wept, saying, ‘How can the Jin dynasty last long?’” Liu Jun sighed. “Perhaps when he developed the idea of emulating the Duke of Gaogui, some people could no longer tolerate him. Today is the fifteenth, and I must go to the palace.”
He stood up and opened his arms, and Ding Yi immediately stepped forward to help him change his clothes and put on his hat. "The carriage is ready..."
"No need. I've been sitting here all day these past few days, this is a good time to relax. I'll ride a horse."
Therefore, Liu Jun only took a dozen or so elite cavalrymen and rode lightly towards the palace.
Although Chang'an at this time was not as prosperous and wealthy as it was during the Han Dynasty, after more than ten years of development, it had long since recovered from its former decline.
Many people along the way put down their tools and bowed to Liu Jun when they saw him, and Liu Jun nodded to each of them as much as possible.
Many young girls threw fruits and flowers at him. Even Liu Jun, who was a veteran of many battles, couldn't dodge them in time. Before he had even walked five miles, he was already covered in fragrance.
"In ancient times, Xun Ling left behind a lasting fragrance; today's Liu Ling can be said to have surpassed it."
"Pan Yue is nothing special!"
His subordinates showered him with compliments, as if Liu Jun were some kind of unparalleled handsome man.
Liu Jun felt rather uncomfortable. "When I was young, I saw Pan Anren several times in the Golden Valley Garden. He was truly a man of extraordinary appearance. How could I, a mere commoner, dare to compare myself to him? Besides, physical appearance is merely an external thing, and it is not a sign of good fortune or longevity. Have you all seen Wei Jie who crossed the Yangtze River to the south?"
People at the time valued appearance highly, and everyone thought he was joking, so there was another round of laughter.
Just then, Liu Jun's gaze turned cold, and he decisively dismounted. Several arrows shot out from the merchants on both sides. Some guards were unable to dodge in time and fell from their horses and died on the spot.
"Get out of the way!" Lu Jing shouted.
The people of Chang'an were seasoned veterans, and upon hearing the news, they all fled home. Those who couldn't find a place to hide in a shop and locked the door.
The remaining guards immediately drew their swords and surrounded Liu Jun, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings. Some of the more astute guards immediately sent word to the shogunate, requesting reinforcements.
Liu Jun suppressed his astonishment, bent down and picked up an arrow, then picked up a basket from some unknown merchant nearby and used it to shield his chest. The others followed suit, setting up a cart as a makeshift shield.
After a brief standoff, the assassins finally appeared. Liu Jun could tell at a glance that they were northerners, and seeing that there were more than twenty of them, he said coldly, "Just twenty petty thieves? Do they really think I'm Sun Bofu? Brothers, follow me and kill them!"
Normally, assassins would retreat immediately if they couldn't kill someone with one strike, but these people were like mindless ghosts, only knowing how to rush forward to kill the enemy. They were undoubtedly suicide soldiers, so Liu Jun no longer hoped to leave any survivors.
Liu Jun led a group of battle-hardened warriors who were more than capable of dealing with these assassins. In no time, they had swiftly and decisively killed them all.
"Give our fallen brothers a proper burial," Liu Jun said in a deep voice, looking at the belated reinforcements. "Furthermore, immediately report to the magistrate of Chang'an and ask him to apprehend the suspects as soon as possible and strengthen defenses."
Having said that, he mounted his horse and said, "I'm going to the palace."
News always travels very fast. As soon as Liu Jun entered the inner palace, he saw Bi Gong waiting anxiously. He was relieved to see that Liu Jun was alright.
"His Majesty was summoning the envoys of the various Hu tribes when he heard that Your Highness had been attacked. He immediately became restless, and the envoys were also concerned about Your Highness's safety..."
Liu Jun frowned. "How can we neglect state affairs for such a trivial matter? Where is His Majesty now? Take me there immediately."
They walked briskly and finally arrived at the Taiji Hall. Fortunately, Sima Ye did not neglect his duties for personal reasons, and the envoys from the various Hu tribes were still present. Seeing that Liu Jun was safe and sound, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Jun stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "I am late due to some reason. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Sima Ye's gaze was fixed on him, her delicate brows furrowed tightly. "It's good that you're alright. Do you know who ordered this?"
Liu Jun shook his head, "They were all suicide soldiers; none of them survived."
Knowing that the Hu people were present, the two could not discuss the matter in depth, so they tacitly made small talk with the Hu people and exchanged pleasantries. After finally getting rid of them, Sima Ye grabbed his hand and asked, "Were they Hu people?"
“Even if they aren’t barbarians, they must be northerners.” Liu Jun squeezed his hand to reassure him. “Shi Le probably can’t hold back any longer…”
Sima Ye paused, "You mean..."
"Your subject requests permission to send troops to annihilate Shi Le!"
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